Lost Love
by Aqua-lily6
Summary: Daine has been kidnapped and is soon to be executed. Numair has betrayed her trust and doesnt know where his mage is, so is there any hope left at all? read to find out! Possible D/N fluff R&R People
1. Prelude

**A/N: Hey people, this is my first ever Tamora Pierce FanFic so I would love as much feedback as possible. Possitive and negative are fine by me. Before you ask, there isnt meant to be any background knowledge other than this happens after ROTG. And yes Daine is very OC but all will be explained (hopefully) soon. I hope you enjoy...**

Prologue-

_How can this be the last ever thing that I see? _Daine thought to herself struggling weakly against the chains that bound her wrists securely to the wall above her. The jagged rocks that thrust themselves into her back no longer bothered her, the whip lashes that had hurt so desperately a few hours ago had faded outside her consciousness. She didn't have the strength to try and break free, and what was the point anyway? Numair didn't love her, how could she ever have been foolish enough to think that he did?

She had a less than hour left to live and she wouldn't waste her time thinking about him. He didn't want her, so maybe this was the best and only way to stop her longing. She didn't want to think about how she missed holding him in her arms, feeling his subtle touch on the bottom of her back, the ways his lips slipped across hers leaving a tingling feeling even after all these months. She would not think about him, he had abandoned her when she needed him the most and now she was going to die because of his betrayal.

She sat in her prison thinking of everyone she was leaving behind. Onua, the kind motherly figure that daine had come to love; Alanna, the brave knight who had saved her life on so many occasions; King Jonathon and his Queen Thayet, who had always kept and eye on her and almost treated her like a member of their family. Then, she thought about all the People, every animal she had ever talked to, all the injured that she had healed. How could she die now? Now that she had a family and friends to return home to. She had not even had a chance to say goodbye to the aging Cloud and Spots. She hadn't said bye to anyone.

She was roused from her thoughts by the clanging of the gate. Maybe someone had come to rescue her? However, when her eyes had adjusted to the sudden light she saw to her dismay a soldier come to take her to her death. She looked down at her feet unable to look at the man. Did he know that he was walking her to her doom? Or did he even care? Why would he anyway, she was just another prisoner to be 'dealt with?'

He didn't bother to paralyse the Wildmage; he knew that the lack of food and water in the past few weeks were enough to leave her weak and defenceless. He reached over and unlocked her wrists not noticing the raw, sliced skin before grabbing her and forcing her to her feet. If he had not of kept hold of her she would have fallen down again. Her legs barely supported her weight and she felt her whole body shaking, as much from fear as shock and pain. He bound her wrists tightly behind her back, taking no notice of her wincing as the rope dug deeply into her cuts. Sure that she couldn't get free, the guard dragged her out of the cell into the daylight outside. _At least it's not raining_ thought daine warily as she looked up at the sky; she didn't want to die in the rain.

The soldier led her through a gate and into a huge stadium full of people watching her from every angle. She felt herself recoiling away from the audience, trying not to think about the number of people who had come to see her die. Stumbling up the wooden steps to the stage, a large rock covered in wood with a stake in the centre that loomed ominously above her.

They were going to burn her to death! Gods, anything but that; feeling the delicate looking flames lick her skin, burning it to a crisp until finally the pain would be so unbearable that she would pass out and that would be it; the end of daine Sarrasri, Wildmage and demi-God. She would never see her friends again, never be able to hold Numair again. It was now; faced with the end that she realised even though she thought she hated him, a massive part of her loved him, the biggest possible part. Tears slid down her cheeks as she was bound to the post and the crowd started chanting, but she didn't hear what they were saying. She was thinking of her friends and her last thought was for Numair. _I hope he knew how much I love him._

Her prison guard threw the burning torch onto the wood around her and the fire took hold sending flames and sparks meters into the air above the stadium and the cheering crowds.

**A/N: OK guys, that was the first chapter, I really really hope you enjoyed it! Please REVIEW the story and tell me what you think. The next chapter is coming soon and it will tell you about the events that led up to daine's situation. R&R people...xxx**


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: OK, FIRSTLY I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGISE THAT IT HAS BEEN BASICALLY A YEAR SINCE I POSTED THE FIRST CHAPTER. I GOT WRITERS BLOCK AND COULNT THINK OF ANYWHERE THE STORY COULD GO. THAT WAS UNTIL I WAS THE DAINE IS THIS CHAPTER...YOU WILL GET THE JIST. THIS CHAPTER STARTS THE LEAD UP TO THE PRELOGUE CHAPTER. ENJOY.**

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Chapter 1: Three Months Previous

"I've got something to tell you Daine, but I don't know if I should. It isn't a good thing but I think you have a right to know." Dom said, looking Daine seriously in the eye. The Captain had grabbed her arm as she stood to leave the mess hall and ask for a brief word. Now, they were stood in a small room just off the main corridor to the training wing. The woman could see something was bothering him but she couldn't tell what.

"What is it Dom?" She questioned uncertainly. Knowing it wasn't good news made the decision hard, but if she didn't find out then it would keep bothering her till she found the soldier again.

"If you are sure?" He asked. Daine nodded her head slightly, barely recognisable as consent.

"Numair tried to kiss Varis when they were journeying to Pirate's Swoop on the spring tour."

Daine stood there in shock, his words spinning round inside her head; Numair, trying to kiss Varis? It just didn't make sense. How could he? It was impossible; he said that he loved her! Spring...that was two months ago and five months into their relationship. She knew they had been arguing a bit, it had been a stressful time. Both mages were working hard to organise the plans for the upcoming year and were extremely stressed. Then the King had asked Numair to accompany him and a few others to the Swoop to hold a meeting with an Ambassador from the Copper Islands, Varis, lately arrive from Carthak. But to kiss her on route...it couldn't be right...maybe the source was incorrect?

"Are you certain?" She managed to ask as she leant heavily against the wall for support.

"I am passing on the message from one of my men who saw it happen. He was previously working for George as part of an underground unit before joining my company. I am afraid to say that I would trust my man with my life."

Daine nodded, accepting the inevitable truth. Onua was right, Numair couldn't change. He was just using her, playing with her and then moving on when he got bored. How could have been so stupid to believe him?

"Did I do the right thing Daine? Telling you I mean?" The Captain asked uncertainly. Daine paused to consider the question. Was it a good thing that she knew Numair was almost cheating on her? Ten minutes ago she was happier than she had ever been. Life in Tortall was better than she could of imagined. She had friends that were practically family, a job doing work she enjoyed and, until now, she had a man she loved with all her heart. But now, a thirty second conversation had changed everything. Now she doubted every minute she had spent with Numair; every kiss and every word he had whispered to her as they sat beneath the stars or as they rode through the countryside.

"I'd rather know so that I can do something about it" She replied evenly. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have an urgent meeting to attend." With that said Daine pushed past Dom and fled into the main corridor.

As she stepped out into the stream of people exiting the mess, Daine looked at the portrait on the wall opposite. It had been painted a few days after Numair had returned from Pirate's Swoop and showed Numair hugging Daine from behind. At the time she had been so happy. All the feeling that she had bottled up for months were out in the open for the whole world to see and she had never been happier than in his arms. But now Daine looked onto the painting with pain. When she was at her happiest, he was lying to her, every moment they had spent together was a lie and he let her believe every second of it. He had nearly committed the worst thing anyone can do, cheat!

Pain started to burn inside Daine's chest. A pain worse than any physical injury she had ever had. The pain threatened to rip her apart from the inside out, burning through her flesh and removing logical thought from her mind. Her breath became shorter as the pain ruptured through her thoughts, and the animals around the Palace became restless, horses shying away from their riders, the birds all stopped their song and the cats and dogs all got edgy as they felt here anguish.

Realising that Numair would come looking for her if he noticed the animals were acting strangely, Daine blocked off all her wildmage and broke connection with all of the People. The inside of her head was suddenly quiet without the other voices and she managed to pull herself back from the pain till it was only a dullish throb. How could she be so stupid to fall for his charms and woos and false declarations of love? She should have listened to all the people around her warning her about him. He had a reputation for a reason and as per normal; Daine had been too stubborn to listen to them. And now look where it left her, hurt and alone again; just like last time.

Drawing her eyes away from the portrait for the last time, Daine decided what she must do. She started to walk, not really paying attention to where she was going as she lost herself again in thought. She couldn't talk to Numair about it, because he would either deny it or even worse, she would see the guilt enter his eyes. She couldn't deal with that yet, so she blocked out her visions of his eyes as he told her the truth.

Firstly, she needed to get it confirmed. A part of her brain still hoped beyond hope that it wasn't true, that he was genuine and honest to her but reality kept quickly destroying them last glimmers of faith. She knew deep down that Numair had tried to kiss Varis, she was his ex and Daine knew that she had been the last women he had really been in love with. The worst part was for the wildmage was the feeling that she wasn't good enough for him. She tried her best, put in extra effort with her appearance and in her lessons but all this time he had gone off behind her back and left her to look the fool.

Looking round, she discovered that she was in the guest wing of the palace; the wing where Varis was staying. She recognised that if she couldn't ask Numair, then the only other real choice she had was to ask Varis herself. Before she could back away and change her mind, the wildmage knocked on the door, the whole time her brain begging that the woman wouldn't be in.

"Please don't answer, please don't answer" she murmured to herself suddenly regretting her rash decision. As she was about to turn away and run, the door opened revealing the blonde hair woman who had just brought Daine's life crashing down around her.

"Hi Daine, do you want to come in?" Daine shook her head mutely and opened her mouth to speak.

Unable to stop herself, Daine blurted "Did Numair try to kiss you in the sping?"

The damage was done. Daine didn't need a vocal answer, the pained look in Varis' eyes were enough to tell her the truth; It was true! Daine waited long enough for the confirming nod before she fled the guest wing.

**I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THAT CHAPTER :) I CERTAINLY ENJOYED WRITING IT. 5 REVIEWS TILL THE NEXT CHAPTER PEOPLE.**

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	3. Chapter 2

**AN: HEYA AGAIN MY READERS. I WANT TO MAKE A MASSIVE APOLOGY FOR AGAIN MAKING YOU WAIT MONTHS FOR THIS STORY! I JUST CANT SEEM TO GET BACK INTO IT THE WAY I USED TO, I AM TRYING TO GET OVER THE WRITERS BLOCK SO THE CHAPTER BELOW MIGHT CHANGE AT A LATER DATE. ANYWAYS, I KNOW ITS SHORT BUT ITS A KIND OF INTERLUDE CHAPTER TO EXPLAIN SOME STUFF. THERE SHOULD BE SOME ACTION IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF CHAPTERS AFTER THIS. DONT FORGET TO REVIEW XXX**

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Some hours later, Daine found herself walking back towards the stables. From the guest wing she has fled out into the forest so that she would have time to think undisturbed by people, both of the human and animal kind.

Of a few things she was one hundred percent certain. Firstly, Numair had tried to kiss Varice, the second that he had every intention of keeping her in the dark about it, and thirdly, that there was no possible way she could stay in Corus and pretend nothing happened, especially when word started to get round the court.

The looks and whispering were bad enough before this, now they actually had something true to talk about.

Their guesses and bets on how long before Numair cheated had been correct...they knew what he was like and would laugh at her now.

The dilemma that the mage now faced was where could she go?

If she stayed where she was then sooner or later she would have to face Him, and if she left for Pirates Swoop then he would no doubt try to follow her or if he did stay behind, then either Alana or George would notice that something was wrong.

The only other alternative possible was to go and visit Keladry at the Refuge Camp New Hope. It had been a few months since she was last there, the spring in fact; maybe it was time to call in and check up on the animals there.

Finally reaching the stables, she lent her head against the doors and looked in at the horses.

The familiar sight of the page's mares greeted her, the scent of horses and the tiny bits of straw still hanging in the air from where the stable hands had cleaned the stalls.

Standing there she could almost imagine that it was just a normal day where nothing had changed.

In a few moments Onua would wonder up for a chat or to give her some jobs to do, or she would saddle up one of the horses and go out for a few hours.

Today was different though, today the animals were blocked out from her mind and she felt none of her normal compulsion to go out, as she knew that in the end, she would have to return to the city and face everyone anyway.

The winter equinox was only a two days away. That would give Daine time enough time to pack up her few belongings and start heading up north before her parents arrived.

As much as she was looking forward to seeing them, she dreaded what they were going to say, or in her dad's case do.

Despite the fact that the man had literally ripped her heart in two, Daine couldn't help but feel that she should protect Numair from her father's wrath because there really was no knowing what he would do.

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**HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT...IT WILL GET BETTER THAN THIS I PROMISE! IF I GET 5 REVIEWS I WILL UPDATE THIS STORY AGAIN BY NEXT MONDAY NIGHT AT 2300 SO PRESS THAT MAGIC LITTLE BUTTON **

**XXX**


	4. Chapter 3

**I am so sorry about the delay...its been over a year...I am finally getting some ideas on where to take this story...but I am going to have to edit the previous chapters so keep an eye out. For now here is another chapter, I hope it will make more sense after changes to the old stuff is made.**

A week had past since she had left Corus, five days since she had last spoken to a human being. Supplies were running low and Cloud had thrown a shoe two days previously and she had had to resort to walking beside the lame pony as there were few villages in the area.

Despite every attempt to keep her mind busy, her thoughts kept crashing at the heartbreak she suffered. How could someone who said they loved you go off and try to kiss someone else? She couldn't make sense of it in her head.

The level of betrayal she felt was akin to her village turning on her, watching the people she had known all her life try to kill her. That, compared to the gaping hole that had been ripped through her heart by the one person she trusted above everyone else, the person who had made her unafraid to be human again. It was no wonder she had fled.

The night was just closing in and the rain had eased slightly when Daine heard the sound of hooves in the distance. The county side was still a dangerous place to be, bandits still roamed the remoter regions avoiding the King's Own and courtesy of the Wildmage, some immortals still roamed.

Daine quickly stamped out the poor attempt of a fire she had made, dispersing the charred branches into the undergrowth and drew her bow ready to meet any threat. She was well hidden inside a dense group of trees and Cloud had lied down as soon as they had stopped to rest, so the chances of her being spotted were slim…but there was always a chance.

The mage sent out her magic and found a Blackbird perched a branch overlooking the path where the horse was approaching. Requesting to borrow its eyes, Daine was able to watch the road and see what came round the bend.

The smaller birds and mammals in the area had picked up her tension and were readying themselves to defend the People-Speaker. The hooves drew closer and closer and as the horse rounded the corner it came to an abrupt halt.

Shocked by the location of the rider stopping Daine almost lost her connection with the blackbird. As she regained her concentration the bird fluffed its wings. The movement was just load enough to attract the rider's attention. His eyes roamed up from the ground he had been scanning to rest on the bird.

Despite the poor light and the shadows cast by the man's cloak, Daine could see a pair of red rimmed, blood shot eyes. The man looked completely and utterly exhausted, his shoulders slumped right down and he was barely keeping himself on the horse.

His cloak was torn in places, like it had been ripped by trees during fast riding. A shock of recognition flooded through her body, the long lanky limbs and the awkward riding posture, the familiar hawk shaped broach that held his cloak into place…Numair Saliman.


End file.
